control the options & fantasies

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Law 31

Control the Options: Get Others to Play with the Cards you Deal

The best deceptions are the ones that seem to give the other person a choice: Your victims feel they are in control, but are actually your puppets. Give people options that come out in your favor whichever one they choose. Force them to make choices between the lesser of two evils, both of which serve your purpose. Put them on the horns of a dilemma: They are gored wherever they turn.

For gaining power, you really need to do this. If you don't, chances are the other people won't choose something that help you out as much as you would like. But how would you hide their choices without them being onto you. I have to say I probably do this.. And use guilt as my other choice to get what I want sometimes. Oops. I'm a girl, and it works.

Law 32

Play to People’s Fantasies

The truth is often avoided because it is ugly and unpleasant. Never appeal to truth and reality unless you are prepared for the anger that comes for disenchantment. Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them. There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses.

But what if they figure out the truth? I'm sure everyone would like to see their world through rose color glasses sometimes but you have to be able to take them off. You can't just sweep things under the rug and not expect the dirt to build up and swallow you up eventually (evil alive dirt...).